Cleaning apparatus



Aug. 25, 1931. F. w. MILLER CLEANING APPLIANCE Filed Dec. 6, 1926Patexited Aug. 25, 1931 FRANK w. MILIR,

CHARLES 01E CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T0 HARRY S. F. FITTS, TRUSTEES,IBOTH 0]? CEICGO, ILLINOIS HART ANZD (LEANING arranrus Applicationfiler! December 6,

This invention pertains to cleaning apparatus in general, and whilecapable of many uses, the particular embodiment herein d1sclosed isdesigned for the cleaning of automobile bodies and chassis.

Experimentation has shown that the highly finished bodies ofautomobiles, which are customarily not as dirty as the running gear, canbest be cleaned and with the least liability 0f injury to the finish bythe application of cold water mixed with a soap solution, and sprayedunder a moderate pressure over the surfaces of the body. The chassis andrunning gear, however, are usually much dirtier than the body and areoften caked with mud and grease which are very difiicult to remove, Thecleaning of the running gear and chassis can most effectively beaccomplished by the use of warm water mixed with a predeterminedproportion of oil in a finely divided state, approximating a collodalcondition, Which when delivered against the dirty parts of the runninggear and chassis under considerable pressure, not only mechanicallycleans the parts by knocking the mud and dirt therefrom, but thecolloidal mixture penetrates between the mud and the surface to which itadheres and by its action, partially chemical and partially mechanical,loosens up the dirt and mud so that it is readily removed.

One of the primary objects of my present invention is to provide anapparatus which will be effective and efiicient in cleaning both thebodies and the chassis of motor vehicles.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus whichwill be capable of. supplying for cleaning purposes, clear water, eitherhot or cold or of any intermediate temperature, water carrying oil in afinely divided state, or Watcr carry1ng a cleaning solution such as asuitable soap, and which will be capable of delivering the water or anyof the solutions against the surface to be cleaned at any desired andregulatable pressure.

A further object is to provide an apparatus which will be largelyautomatic in its operation and which can be easily and quickly regulatedto deliver Water at the desired tem- 1926. Serial No. 152,747.

perature and with the desired quantity of soap or oil mixed therewithand at any desired pressure against the surface to be cleaned.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionshould be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following de scription when considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, the single figure of Which illustratessomewhat diagrammatically an apparatus embodying my invention in one ofits preferred forms Referring to the drawing more in detail, referencecharacter 5 indicates a closed tank 5 of considerable capacity to whichwater is supplied from a supply pipe 6 connected with the city main, apredetermined water level being maintairied in said tank by a floatcontrolled valve of any preferred type, a suitable valve being indicatedby refcrence character 7, the opening and olosing of which is controlledby float ball 8 connected by a flexible hose 9 to the tank, andcounterbalanced by a weight- 11. In order that the cold water whichenters at the top of the tank may be distributed througliout the tank, adeflector or distributing plate 13 is mount-' ed within the tank in thepath of the infiowing water.

The water in this tank is warmed and maintained at a desired temperatureby means of a suitable water heater 14 to Which fuel either oil or gas,is delivered through a fuel pipe 16. The heater Which may be of anypreferred type, but preferably a coil heater, has the lower and of itscoil connected by a pipe 17 with the bottom of the tank at 18 and thewater heated by the heater is returned to the tank through a pipe 19which enters the tank a considerable distance above the bottom thereof.

The heated wter is withdrawn from this tank through a pipe 2l'connectedto the suction side of a duplex pump 22 by which the water is dischargedthrough eithr of the deliverypipes 23 or 24, valves being provided nearthe pump for controlling and directin%the discharge.

0th the lines 23 and 24 extend to the through a pipe 26 from acompressed air reserv0ir 27. The pressure in this reservoir ismaintained by an air compressor 28 operated from a motor 29 or in anysuitable manner.

Oil of a suitable character is delivered to the line 24 beyond the tank25 and in regalated quantities through a pipe 31 which connects at oneend with the line 24 at thepomt 32 and at its other end with an oil pump33 which is connected with and operated bythe water pump 22 so that oilis delivered in regulated quantities and in predetermined proportions tothe quantity of vvater delivered by the pump. The suction side of theoil'pump 33 is connected by a pipe 34 to an oil supply tank 35.

The line 24 extends t0 a point near the washing rack where it isconnected by a flexible hose 36 with a nozzle 37 which is also connectedby a hose 38 with an air pressure line 39 leading from the compressedair reservoir 27. The proportions of air and water and the pressureunder which the same are delivered from the nozzle may be regu lated bythe valves 41 and 42. The nozzle may be of any preferred type, but ispref erably like that disclosed in Patent No. 1,135,- 001, granted April13, 1915.

Each of the lines 24, 23 and 39 are provided with hand valves 43, 44 and45, respectively. The line 23 is connected by a hose 46 with the bodywashing nozzle 47 similar in all respects to the chassis Washing nozzle37 and an air hose 48 connects this nozzle also with the air line.39. Abranch line 49 leading from the water supply pipe 6 is connected withthe line 23 at 51 and a valve 52 interposed in this line may bemanipulated in conjunction with the valve 44 to admit water either fromthe pipe 49 or the pipe 23 or regulated quantities from each to thenozzle 47 A tank 53 adapted to contain a cleaning solution such as asoap is connected by a pipe 54 with the suction pump 55, the dischargeside of which is connected by a pipe 56 with the branch line 49. By thisconstruction, soap, or a cleaning fluid may be admixed with the 001dwater in the line 49 to facilitate the cleaning of the car bodies.

When a car is to be cleaned, it is run onto the rack near the nozzles 37and 47 and water of suitable temperature obtained by manipulating thevalves 44 and 52, is delivered either with or without soap solution fromthe tank 53 to the nozzle 47 from which it is discharged under pressurewhich may be regulated by manipulation of the valves 57 and 58 againstthe body to be cleaned. Customarily, when the body has been washed withsoap solution and warm water, it is rinsed ofl" with 001d water from theline 49 in which case the valve 44 is closed, as is also the connectionbetween'the tank 53 and the branch line 49.

The chassis is cleaned from the nozzle 37 to which warm water, admixedwith a suitable quantity of oil, as previously explained, is deliveredthrough the line 24, and this oil and Water may be discharged againstthe surfaces of the chassis to be cleaned under anydesired pressurecontrolled by manipulation of the valve 42 in the compressed air line.It Will be apparent that by manipulating the various valves, allcleaning conditions encountered botlron the body and chassis of anautomobile may be met and both body and chassis may be quickly andeasily cleaned without injury to the finish.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention,the structural details illustrated and described may be varied withinwide limits without departing from the essence of the invention asdefined in the following claims.

I claim 1. In a cleaning apparatus, the combination of a tank adapted tocontain a supply of water, a pipe for supplyng water thereto, meanswithin the tank for distributing the water delivered to the tank, awater heater connected to the tank for heating the water therein, a pumphavng its suction side connected with the tank, a discharge line leadingfrom said pump, a pressure equalizing tank interposed in said line andmeans for pumping air into said tank to maintain pressure on the watertherein contained, means for delivering oil in regulated quantities tothe line beyond the pressure equalizing tank, and a nozzle through whichsaid water and oil admixed therewith are discharged.

2. In a cleaning apparatus, the combination of a water supply tank,means Ior heating the water therein, a pump having its suction sideconnected with said tank, a discharge line leading from said pump, apressure equalizing tank interposed in said discharge line, meansincluding an air pump for exerting air pressure upon said equalizingtank, and means for'mixing oil with the water in the line beyond thetank in quantities proportional to the quantity of water discharged.

3. In a cleaning apparatus, the combination of a water supply tank, apump having its suction side connected to said tank, a discharge li nefrom said pump, a pressure equalizing tank interposed in said line, anair com.

pressor and a reservoir connected thereto for containing a supply of airunder pressure, a connection between said reservoir and said equalizingtank normally open during operation of the apparatus, means fordelivering oil in regulated quantities to the water in the dischargelime, a nozzle connected with the discharge line, and a connectionbetween said air reservoir and said nozzle.

4. In a cleaning apparatus, the combination of a water tank, means formaintaining a predetermined water level therein, an oil tank, adischarge line, means for delivering oil and water in predetermined proortions from said tanks to said lime, means or heating the water in thetank, a reservoir containing air under pressure, a nozzle, means fordelivering oil and water from said discharge line and air from saidreservoir to said nozzle, a second nozzle, a cleaning fluid supply tank,and means for delivering water from said water tank mixed with acleaning fluid from said fluid tank and compressed air from said airreservoir to said second nozzle.

In witness of the foregoing I affix my signature.

FRANK W. MILLER.

